ARE YOU READY FOR NEW DOL FEE DISCLOSURE RULES?

Transcription

1 ARE YOU READY FOR NEW DOL FEE DISCLOSURE RULES? (updated June 2, 2011) ANTHONY J. KOLENIC, JR. JUSTIN W. STEMPLE GEORGE L. WHITFIELD 2011 Warner Norcross & Judd LLP. All rights reserved.

2 Agenda General ERISA fiduciary compliance Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Participant disclosures Page 2

3 ERISA fiduciary rules Employer/plan sponsor always retains some fiduciary liability Employer retains some discretionary authority or control managing the plan and its assets and administering the plan Duties can be delegated, but the employer at a minimum always retains appointment and oversight responsibility The employer is likely a named fiduciary under the plan Page 3

4 ERISA fiduciary rules Duties Protect the plan participants Protect and invest the plan assets Diversify investments to reduce the risk of large losses Carry out the purposes of the plan and the law Based on the common law of trusts Personal liability of individuals Page 4

5 ERISA fiduciary rules Standard of care Solely in the interest of plan participants and beneficiaries For the exclusive purpose of providing benefits under the plan and paying reasonable expenses of administration With the care, skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent man acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims A/k/a the prudent expert standard: The highest standard known to law. Standards change over time The DOL is increasing scrutiny of sponsor fiduciary processes/systems Page 5

6 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Second part of DOL three-pronged approach on plan fees 5500 Schedule C reporting Provider disclosure under 408(b)(2) Participant disclosure Provider disclosure now in interim final regulations, expected to be finalized soon Compliance deadline delayed from July 16, 2011, to January 1, 2012 Matches up with participant disclosure timing for calendar year plans Will be based on the requirements in the final regulations Page 6

7 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Context Why care? General fiduciary responsibility Prohibited transaction Includes any furnishing of goods or services between a plan and a party in interest Any person providing services to the plan is a party in interest 408(b)(2) provides a prohibited transaction exemption for reasonable arrangements. Regs say the arrangement is not reasonable unless: The disclosure requirements are met, and The arrangement allows for termination without penalty on reasonably short notice 15% PT excise tax, payable by the service provider or the responsible plan fiduciary who contracts with the provider (RPF). Page 7

8 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Context Why care? (cont d) The RPF is exempt from the excise tax if the RPF notifies the provider of any failure in writing and allows 90 days to cure, and if no cure, the RPF: Notifies the DOL of the provider s failure within 30 days Decides whether to terminate or continue the arrangement with the provider, taking into account: Nature of the failure Availability, qualifications, and costs of replacement The provider s response to notice of the failure 5500 reporting of PT still required, even if RPF is exempt Page 8

9 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Must ask, must tell - the employer must: Identify the responsible plan fiduciary to receive the disclosures Identify the covered service providers subject to 408(b)(2) Obtain the required disclosures from those providers If a provider fails to make the required disclosures: Request the disclosures Report the failure to the DOL Make and document a decision as to whether or not to fire the provider Establish a process for analyzing the disclosures and benchmarking Page 9

10 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Identifying covered service providers (CSP) Not necessarily the same as 5500 Schedule C providers Includes only service providers expecting to receive at least $1,000 in compensation for the services Direct or indirect compensation (i.e., revenue sharing) Even if received by an affiliate or a subcontractor Even if services are performed by an affiliate or subcontractor Page 10

11 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Identifying covered service providers (cont d) CSP Category 1 - Any service provider that is a fiduciary to the plan or an investment adviser registered under either the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or state law Fiduciaries providing services directly to the plan Fiduciaries to an investment contract, product or entity that holds plan assets in which the plan has a direct equity investment Investment advisers providing services directly to the plan Page 11

12 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Identifying covered service providers (cont d) Fiduciary includes: Anyone who provides investment advice for compensation Anyone with discretionary authority or control over plan management or assets Anyone who provides fiduciary services to an investment product or entity that holds plan assets as a direct equity investment Proposed regulations expand fiduciary definition watch for final regs Contractual disclaimers of fiduciary status do not control Page 12

13 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Identifying covered service providers (cont d) CSP Category 2 - Providers of recordkeeping services or brokerage services to an individual account plan that permits participant investment direction if the options are made available in connection with a platform of investment alternatives CSP Category 3 - Providers of certain types of services where the provider expects to receive indirect compensation Accounting, auditing, actuarial, appraisal, banking, custodial Consulting (re: IPS, or selection of other service providers or plan investments), insurance, investment advisory, legal Recordkeeping, securities or other investment brokerage, third party administration, or valuation services Page 13

14 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) The written disclosure must include: A description of the nature and scope of services The RPF must decide whether the disclosure is sufficiently detailed to determine whether the compensation for the services is reasonable, and ask for additional information if not Compensation information A description of the manner in which the compensation will be received (billed or deducted from investments) All direct compensation reasonably expected, including amounts paid to an affiliate or subcontractor, either in aggregate or by service All indirect compensation reasonably expected (including amounts paid to an affiliate or subcontractor), the services for which received, and the payer Page 14

15 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) The written disclosure must include (cont d): Compensation information (cont d) Compensation among related parties must be separately disclosed if set on a transaction basis or charged directly against and reflected in net value of the investment, identifying: The services for which the compensation will be received The payers and recipients of the compensation The status of each payer or recipient as an affiliate or subcontractor RPF is responsible for determining any conflicts of interest among related parties Compensation reasonably expected in connection with a termination of the contract/arrangement and how any prepaid amounts will be calculated and refunded on termination Page 15

16 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) The written disclosure must include (cont d): Compensation information (cont d) Recordkeeping fees, in addition to direct and indirect compensation, if compensation is not explicit or is offset or rebated against other compensation received, a good faith estimate of cost of the recordkeeping services must be provided, including methodology, assumptions, and detail of services Compensation related to participant-directed investments, with respect to each product or fund holding plan assets (unless disclosed by a provider of recordkeeping or brokerage services): Any compensation charged directly against the amount invested in connection with purchase, sale, transfer or withdrawal Annual operating expenses (e.g. expense ratio) if return not fixed Additional ongoing expenses (e.g. wrap fees) Recordkeepers and brokers may use disclosure materials of issuer if not an affiliate and disclosures are regulated RPF must consider the effect of fees and expenses on the rate of return of an investment Page 16

17 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) The written disclosure must include (cont d): A status statement, if applicable, that the CSP, an affiliate or a subcontractor will provide, or reasonably expects to provide, services directly to the plan (or to an investment vehicle) As a fiduciary, or As a registered investment adviser Page 17

18 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Format of the disclosure It need not be in the form of an agreement Stand-alone disclosures are permissible Existing agreements need not be revised Can be in a collection of documents Final regulations may require a summary disclosure statement Page 18

19 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Timing of the disclosure: In advance of entering into, extending or renewing a service contract or arrangement For existing arrangements, January 1, 2012 If investment product is later determined to hold plan assets, 30 days If an investment alternative is added later, not later than the date on which the alternative is designated by the RPF Changed information, ASAP (practicable) but no later than 60 days from date CSP informed of change Discovery of mistake, ASAP but not more than 30 days Any additional information requested by the RPF generally must be provided within 30 days of written request RPF should establish a process for tracking and monitoring receipt of disclosures Page 19

20 Provider disclosures under 408(b)(2) Process for analyzing disclosures Identify any conflicts of interest Benchmark fees and performance to other providers Review each fund s investment return as adjusted for fees and expenses Document analysis and decision Page 20

21 Background on final regulation History RFI April, 2007 Proposed July, 2008 Suspended January 21, 2009; controversy; legislative proposals Published October 20, 2010 Applicability Date Plan years on/after November 1, 2011 Underlying Philosophy DC plans with participant direction predominate Participants with right to direct must have access to basic information Page 21

22 Background on final regulation Third disclosure initiative 404(a), not 404(c): mandatory duty to disclose Impact on 404(c) 404(c) is discretionary Disclosure required under 404(c) now generally same as 404(a) Must notify participants if 404(c) Page 22

23 Applies to ERISA participant-directed individual account plans E.g., 401(k), ERISA 403(b) Not government or non-electing church Not IRAs or IRA-based: SEPs; SIMPLEs Page 23

24 Who provides disclosure? Plan Administrator Safe harbor: not liable for sufficiency and accuracy if: Information from service provider or issuer of investment; and Reasonable good faith reliance Who receives disclosure? All eligible participants whether or not actually enrolled DOL believes annual notice serves as important reminder For former employees, death beneficiaries, and QDRO alternate payees, disclosure obligation only extends to those who have the right to direct the investments actually held in their accounts. Page 24

25 Timing of disclosures Annual disclosures On or before date participant can first direct investments At least annually thereafter At least once in any 12-month period, whether plan operates on calendar or fiscal year basis; choose timing, but no more than 12 months after last Updates of annual disclosures At least 30 days, but not more than 90 days, in advance of any change If unable due to unforeseeable events or circumstances beyond the administrator s control, provide as soon as reasonably practicable Quarterly disclosures At least once in any 3-month period, whether plan operates on calendar or fiscal year basis; choose timing, but no more than 3 months after last Page 25

26 Timing of initial disclosures No later than 120 days after applicability date, to all participants and beneficiaries eligible on applicability date. Example Calendar year plan applicability date = January 1, 2012 Due date for first annual disclosure = April 30, 2012 Transition rule also applies to participants who become eligible to direct investments during transition period Initial quarterly disclosure: May 15, 2012 Page 26

27 Required disclosures Plan-related information General information about plan Expenses Administrative expenses Individual expenses Investment-related information Electronic delivery permitted under current rules (DOL RFI) Page 27

28 Plan-related information general plan information List of investment options and designated investment managers Circumstances under which may give investment instructions Limitations on instructions (e.g., transfer restrictions) Explanation of voting, tender offer and similar rights Description of brokerage windows or self-directed brokerage accounts Method of disclosure Separate statement or electronic SPD or benefits statement Annual disclosure; update for changes Page 28

29 Plan-related information expense information Expenses paid directly by plan or participants Reduce participant account balances Two types of plan expenses Administrative expenses Fees for plan administration deducted from all accounts or paid through revenue sharing; e.g., legal, accounting, recordkeeping Does not include annual operating expenses of investment options; e.g., does not include a mutual fund s management fees, expense loads or 12b-1 fees Individual expenses Fees charged against individual account (rather than plan as a whole); e.g., fees for processing loans or QDROs, for investment advice, for brokerage windows, commissions, loads, redemption fees, transfer fees and optional annuity riders Page 29

30 Plan-related information expense information (cont d) Annual expense disclosure Administrative expenses Explanation of administrative fees that may be paid by plan How allocated (e.g., pro-rata, per capita) Individual expenses Explanation of fees that may be charged against individual account Method of disclosure Separate statement or electronic SPD or benefits statement Page 30

31 Plan-related information expense information (cont d) Quarterly expense disclosure Administrative expenses Dollar amount actually charged to participant s account during preceding quarter and description of services to which charges relate If applicable, an explanation that, in addition to the expenses reported on the statement, some of the plan s administrative expenses were paid from the operating expense of one or more of the plan s designated investment alternatives (e.g., revenue sharing, 12b-1 fees) Individual expenses Dollar amount actually charged to participant s account during preceding quarter (or number of liquidated shares) and description of services to which charges relate To extent already disclosed during quarter, for example a confirmation after charge is deducted from account, charge does not have to be disclosed on quarterly statement Page 31

32 Plan-related information expense information (cont d) Quarterly expense disclosure (cont d) No quarterly statement required if no charges (administrative and/or individual) to participant s account during preceding quarter Method of disclosure Separate statement or electronic Benefits statement Page 32

33 Investment-related information On or before first investment and annually thereafter After investment Upon request Page 33

34 Investment-related information initial and annual notice Format Investment alternatives must be presented in a chart or similar format for easy comparison Model comparative chart provided in appendix to final regulation lchart.doc Information provided Identifying information Performance data/benchmarks Fee information Web site Glossary Certain mandatory statements Special disclosures for annuity investments Special rules for employer securities Page 34

35 Investment-related information initial and annual notice (cont d) Indentifying information each investment choice Name of investment alternative Type/category; e.g., money market, large-cap fund, balanced fund, employer stock fund, employer securities; use fund s description of itself No need to specify passive or active management Uncertainty concerning risk-based model portfolios Page 35

36 Performance data Fixed or stated return (e.g., GIC, CD) Annual rate of return and term of investment If issuer reserves right to adjust rate prospectively, the current rate, the minimum rate, must include a warning that adjustments are possible and contact information (phone or web) to get most recent rate Other (e.g., mutual funds, money market funds) 1-, 5-, and 10-year average total returns (or life of investment, if shorter) ending on the most recently completed calendar year Benchmark (name and returns of appropriate broad-based securities market index over 1-, 5-, and 10-year periods) Benchmark should not be an affiliate of the investment provider, its investment advisor, or a principal underwriter, unless the index is widely recognized and used. Page 36

37 Investment-related information initial and annual notice (cont d) Fee and expense information Fixed or stated return investments Amount and description of shareholder-type fees and restrictions on purchase/withdrawal Investments w/o fixed return Amount and description of shareholder-type fees and restrictions on purchase/withdrawal Total annual operating expenses expressed as both % (e.g., expense ratio) and $ amount per $1,000 invested Examples of shareholder fees Commissions Sales loads Sales charges Deferred sales charges Redemption fees Surrender charges Exchange fees Account fees Purchase fees Page 37

38 Investment-related information initial and annual notice (cont d) Web site information Sufficiently specific to lead participant to the following information regarding the designated investment alternative Name of investment s issuer Investment s objectives Investment s principal strategies (including general description of types of assets held) Portfolio turnover rate Performance data (updated at least quarterly) Fee and expense information Different requirements for fixed income and annuities Web site address cannot be investment issuer s home page What if the investment does not have a web site with required information? Build it yourself (disclosure is plan administrator s duty) Persuade issuer to develop site Do not offer that investment Real world: Issuer will maintain web site if it wants to continue to sell to retirement plans Page 38

39 Investment-related information initial and annual notice (cont d) Glossary Included on chart or chart must include web site address that provides access to glossary, along with explanation of purpose of address Example Please visit planglossary.com for a glossary of investment terms relevant to the investment options available under this plan. This glossary is intended to help you better understand your investment options. Other required statements on chart Contact information for information available on request Statements More current investment-related information (e.g., performance information) may be available at the listed web sites Past performance not necessarily an indication of future performance Fees and expenses only one of several factors to be considered when making investment decisions Cumulative effect of fees and expenses can substantially reduce account growth; visit EBSA web site for an example Can provide additional appropriate information if accurate and not misleading Page 39

40 Requirements for target date or lifecycle funds The asset allocation; how the allocation will change over time; the time when the allocation will be the most conservative (with a chart, table or other graph) If specifies a date, explanation of applicable age group, relevance of date and any assumptions about contribution and withdrawal intentions on or after the date Page 40

41 Target date or life-cycle funds (cont d) A statement or beneficiary may lose money, including losses near or after retirement and that there is no guarantee of adequate retirement income Must be appendix or appendices to comparative disclosure chart Page 41

42 Review DOL model comparative chart Separate document in program materials Does not include target date information Page 42

43 Investment-related information - other disclosures Information provided after investment Materials related to voting rights to extent such rights are passed through to participant under plan s terms Information available upon request Prospectuses, short form prospectuses or equivalent for unregistered securities New requirement for unregistered securities (e.g., collective trust) Financial statements/reports (if provided to plan) Statement of value per unit or share of each investment option List of assets (portfolio) for each investment option which constitute plan assets under DOL regulations and value of each asset (or the proportion of the investment it comprises) Page 43

44 Timing Summary Annual disclosure; change update Plan-related information including annual administrative and individual expense information Investment-related information Quarterly disclosure Dollar amounts of administrative and individual expenses charged to account Page 44

45 Steps to take now Step one commitments from providers Inventory investment and affected service providers Secure commitments to provide the required performance and fee information in a timely manner (including ability to satisfy web site requirements) and in a proper format Obtain representations that information provided is true and complete Work with investment providers to determine appropriate benchmarks Remember, plan fiduciaries protected from any incomplete and inaccurate information by reasonable good faith reliance on information received from service provider Page 45

46 Steps to take now Step two prepare and distribute information Once receive information from service provider, plan fiduciary needs to decide how the information will be disclosed separate statement, electronic, SPD, benefit statement, chart, etc. Then those documents need to be prepared Calendar year plan: initial annual disclosure by April 30, 2012, and initial quarterly by May 15, 2012 Step three other Adequacy of missing participant procedures Compliance with current electronic disclosure requirements How handle participant questions? Page 46

47 Questions? Anthony J. Kolenic, Jr. Warner Norcross & Judd LLP Justin W. Stemple Warner Norcross & Judd LLP George L. Whitfield Warner Norcross & Judd LLP Page 47